Trade : South rallies around developmental agenda for WTO reforms (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Washington DC)
Many developing countries have rallied around the developmental agenda for WTO reforms, including improvements for simple and effective special and differential treatment, resolution of longstanding issues in agriculture, and an immediate COVID-19 relief package of measures through a waiver from implementing core intellectual property rules, said trade envoys.

Trade : Attempts to undermine talks on TRIPS waiver to combat COVID-19? (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Washington DC)
The chair of the Doha Rules negotiating group informed members on 12 October that he will convene meetings on 15 and 16 October, despite a clash with the scheduled WTO TRIPS Council meeting on the same days, in what appears to be a deliberate move to undermine the discussion on the TRIPS waiver for combating the COVID-19 pandemic, said people familiar with the development.

Trade : Trade can contribute to a more effective COVID-19 response (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Geneva)
The task for WTO Members now is to "ensure that trade contributes, in every way possible, to making the COVID-19 response more effective," WTO Deputy Director-General (DDG) Yonov Frederick Agah said on Monday.

Finance : Milton Friedman versus stakeholder capitalism (PRIV)
(IPS, Kuala Lumpur)
Milton Friedman was arguably the most influential economist of the second half of the 20th century, associated with promoting "neo-liberal", free- market, shareholder capitalism.

UN : Why we're uniting in support of African girl leaders to beat AIDS (PRIV)
(IPS, Geneva/New York)
Geneva/New York, Oct (IPS/Winnie Byanyima, Audrey Azoulay, Natalia Kanem, Henrietta Fore and Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka*) -- The International Day of the Girl Child on 11th of October is a call for us to reflect on our responsibilities.